Paint tray



Aug. 21, 1956 J. A. PHARRIS 2,759,620

' PAINT TRAY I Filed Oct. 1, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1956 J. A. PHARRlS 2,759,620

PAINT TRAY Filed Oct. 1, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l i J United States Patent PAINT TRAY John A. Pharris, Milwaukee, Wis., assiguor, by mesne assignments, to E Z Paintr Corporation, Milwaukee, W1s., a corporation of Delaware Application October 1, 1952, Serial No. 312,428

2 Claims. (Cl. 220-1) This invention relates to a paint tray for use with a roller type applicator and more particularly to such a tray having features permitting its use with a ladder having rungs.

Paint trays for use with roller type applicators have generally been constructed for attachment to the steps of a stepladder or for placement upon a fiat surface such as a table top. These trays are perfectly adequate within their limited means of support but do not provide any convenient means for supporting a tray on a ladder of the type having only rung-s. Nearly all of the trays in use have also consisted primarily of an open topped pan which must be maintained substantially level to avoid spilling paint. No practical means has been provided whereby the paint tray may serve as a convenient receptacle and also its normal function of applying paint to a roller applicator.

The present invention provides a new and novel solution to the problems outlined above. In general a paint tray is provided with a relatively deep space for a pool of paint and the sloping surface upon which the paint roller may be rolled to remove excess paint before the applicator is applied to the surface to be painted. In addition to these normal features and functions, the present tray has structure whereby the tray may be handled as a bucket for paint when it is desired to move the tray from one position to another. Also provided is a bracket and supporting structure whereby the paint tray may be secured to a ladder of the type having rungs, in proper position for use with the paint applicator or in another safe position while the ladder is being moved to a new work area.

A particular embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the paint tray showing a rail and rung of a ladder in dotted outline. The tray is shown in proper position for use with a paint applicator;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the tray as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the tray of Figure 1 looking from the left toward the right;

Figure 4 is an enlarged broken sectional view through the tray and mounting bracket taken substantially through the center of the mounting bracket and along line 44 in Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of a portion of the attachment bracket taken from inside the receptacle looking toward the bracket.

The tray shown in the particular embodiment is one intended for use in painting with a roller paint applicator which is normally immersed in the paint and then rolled out on the sloping tray bottom before it is applied to the surface to be painted. The figures of the drawings illustrate a tray generally designated having a bottom 11 and side walls 12 which are topped by a beaded rim 13 extending all around the tray. The side walls along longitudinal sides of the tray are of varying "ice width so as to provide the tray with a deep end 14 and a shallow end 15 with the bottom 11 sloping in a generally straight plane between the ends of the tray. The relatively deep end 14 is adapted to contain a pool of paint into which the roller may be dipped and then rolled out on the portion 16 of the bottom 11 and over raised ribs 17 to remove any excess paint. The paint that is removed will generally flow by gravity to the deep end of the tray since the tray in normal use would be positioned about as shown in Figure 1 relative to horizontal.

While the tray as herein illustrated is shown as attached to the rail and rung of a ladder, it is contemplated that the tray may have use in other locations. If it is desired to use the tray by placing it upon a table or the like, the deep end 14 of the tray will rest upon the table and a foot structure 18 at the shallow end of the tray will keep that end elevated a sufficient amount above the table to maintain the pool of paint in the deep end of the tray. A clamp bar 19 is provided for attachment in a plurality of eyelets 20 in the vertical portion 21 of the feet so that if desired, the tray may be attached in the normal manner to a step of a stepladder by merely forcing the edge of the step in between the clamp bar 19 and the feet 22 of the foot structure 18. Ordinarily two feet 22 are provided at the corners of the tray and the clamp bar 19 extends between these foot portions.

The tray of this application is provided with a bucketlike portion so that it may be conveniently carried without fear of spilling paint from the tray. The particular bucket forming portion shown is a cover member 25 consisting of a portion of another tray 10 which is not complete. The deep end portion 14a is similar to the deep end portion 14 and this cover member extends toward the shallow end 15 approximately one half the length of the tray. The end 26 of the cover member 25 facing the shallow tray end 15 is open to permit the insertion of a roller applicator into the pool of paint ordinarily collected in the deep end 14. This cover member is secured as by welding or brazing along the bead 13 where the two bucket forming parts are in registry. After paint is placed in the tray, the clamp bar 19 forms a convenient handle whereby the tray and its contents may be carried much in the manner of a bucket. Thereafter the tray may be positioned as shown in Figure 1 for use with a paint applicator and the paint will be in the deep end of the tray as in normal use. If it is desired to place the tray upright, a number of projections 27 are provided both on the tray proper and the cover member to support the tray in upright fashion.

A tray to ladder connection specifically adapted for use with a ladder having rungs is illustrated in the drawings and may be best understood from the sectional view of Figure 4. The tray is provided with an opening 28 in one of the longitudinal sides, a similar opening 28a being provided on the opposite side of the tray so that the supporting means can be used on either side. A threaded spindle 29 is inserted through the opening 28 and bears against an inner block 30 placed against the inside of the tray and cover member. Immediately outside of the tray surface is positioned a bearing plate 31 having a center depressed portion 32 adapted to bear against the side of the tray immediately under the bead 13. This plate provides a tight firm bearing support against the tray. An upper portion 33 of this plate is provided with a number of projections 34 arranged in an arcuate pattern for cooperation with similar projections on the attaching bracket. A nut 35 is threaded on the spindle 29 to hold the plate 31 against the tray.

The bracket itself is one formed of sheet material having three sides with two of the sides 36 being parallel and held in spaced relation by the third side 37 to provide a bifurcated bracket. Each side 36 is provided 3 with a hook portion 38 of a dimension to fit over a rung 39 of an ordinary ladder. The three sides of the bracket can be chosen in dimension to fit about the rail 40 of the ordinary ladder and to position at least one of the hooks 38 over a rung. The upper portion of the back side 37 will bear against the rail as will the spindle 29 to maintain the bracket in secure attachment to the ladder. A wing nut 42 holds the bracket on the spindle.

Each side 36 of the bracket is provided with a plurality of projections 41 for cooperative engagement with the projections 34 in the bearing plate 31 so as to secure the tray in any selected position. When the tray is in use as illustrated in Figure 1, the wing nut 42 can hold the tray substantially horizontally and then when the ladder must be moved to a new location, the wing nut can be loosened so as to allow the tray to hang down in bucket fashion. The tray is free to pivot on the spindle when the wing nut is loosened or the wing nut may be removed from the spindle whereupon the tray and plate 31 may be removed entirely from the supporting bracket.

In ordinary use a tray may be provided with the supporting bracket on either the left or right hand side and unless persons of opposite hand use the tray, the original bracket placement will probably remain. By providing an opening 28 and 28a on either side of the tray, the whole structure may be moved to either side desired.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A paint tray for use with a roller type paint applicator, comprising: a receptacle having a bottom and sides providing opposite deep and shallow ends; a concaved cover member over said deep end of the receptacle and fixedly secured to the sides to form a bucket-like deep end portion, the end of said cover member facing said shallow end being open to admit a paint roller; a bracket pivotally secured to a side of the receptacle for removably attaching the tray to the rail and rung of a ladder; and means for locking the receptacle in selected positions about the pivotal connection of the receptacle and bracket to permit the tray to be positioned generally in a horizontal plane for use, said means being selectively releasable to permit the tray to hang loosely from the bracket with the bucket-like portion down while the ladder is being moved.

2. A paint tray for use with a roller type applicator, comprising: a receptacle having a bottom and sides forming opposite deep and shallow ends in the receptacle with the bottom sloping between the ends, said deep end being adapted to hold a pool of paint and said bottom providing a surface against which a roller applicator may be rolled to remove excess paint; a concaved cover member having edges for registry with the edges about the deep end of the receptacle, said cover member being fixedly secured to the receptacle with said edges in registry to provide a bucket-like deep end portion for the receptacle, the end of said cover member facing said shallow end being open to admit a paint roller, whereby a pool of paint may be carried in the receptacle in the manner of a bucket by grasping only the shallow end of the tray; and a tray-to-ladder attachment on a side of the receptacle including selectively releasable locking means to lock the tray in generally horizontal position for applying paint to an applicator, said releasable means being so positioned with respect to the deep end of the tray that release of the locking means permits the tray to swing loosely from the bucket with the bucket-like portion down while the ladder to which the tray is attached is being moved.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,048,543 Hohlenberg Dec. 31, 1912 1,487,065 Irons Mar. 18, 1924 1,900,636 Davis Mar. 7, 1933 1,995,656 Stout Mar. 26, 1935 2,444,584 Touchette July 6, 1948 2,488,305 Manger et a1 Nov. 15, 1949 2,598,479 Wraith May 27, 1952 2,661,858 Howell Dec. 8, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,326 Great Britain 1898 20,424 Great Britain 1904 

